Bottle-centering attachment for bottling-machines.



v E. A. SHONTZ. BOTTLE (ENTERING ATTACHMENT FOR BOTTLING MAGHINES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1913.

1,106,738. Patented Aug". 11, 1914.

WITNESSES: IN (/5 N TOR /g 'REV 1/1E .".ORRI$ PETERS CO.. PHoTaLiTHo 1 WASHINGTON. D. i.v

PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR A. SHONTZ, 0F PHILIPSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOTTLE-CENTERING ATTACHMENT FOB, BOTTLING-MACHINES.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDGAR A. SHONTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philipsburg, in the county of Center and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Centering Attachments for Bottling- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bottle centering attachments for bottling machines, the object of the invention being to provide an improved centering device in combination with the discharge tube which will insure the proper centering of the bottle neck to receive the discharge tube, and prevent possibility of breaking or chipping the end of the bottle because of the failure of the bottle to properly center with relation to said tube.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which may be utilized in connect-ion with various bottling machines, and which is of extremely simple inexpensive construction, yet strong and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating my improvements in connection with a bottling machine. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in elevation of my improved bottle centering attachment removed. Fig. 3 is a view in longitudinal section on the line 83 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4: is an end elevation of Fig. 2.

1 represents a bottling machine having a table 2 thereon to support bottles 3.

My improved centering device 4 is connected directly to the vertically movable member 5 containing the discharging device of the bottling machine which in the present instance we will suppose to be a syrup tube, as my improvements are especially adapted for use in connection with a soda water bottling machine in which the bottle first receives the syrup and then the carbonated water.

The bottles frequently are imperfectly formed and improperly positioned, so that the open end of the bottle neck is not al- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10, 1913.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914:- Serial No. 772,748.

ways in alinement with the syrup tube, and when the latter moves downwardly to the end of the bottle neck, it results in the tube striking the edge of the bottle neck, and either upsetting the bottle, chipping the bottle neck, or breaking the bottle. To overcome this defect, my improved centering device was devised and is secured around a central syrup tube 6 which is screw-threaded at its upper end as shown at 7 for attachment to the syrup supply of the machine. Around this tube 7, a head 8 is fixed and is secured to a cylindrical hood 9 which at its lower end is slit longitudinally and the tongues 10 formed by such slitting are curved outwardly and at their extreme ends are curved about a ring 11 which holds said tongues in a spread or conical formation.

The outwardly curved or flared tongues 10 are below the end of the syrup tube 6, and the space between the cylindrical portion 9 of the hood and the tube 6 is just the right size to accommodate the bottle neck. The head 8 is preferably hexagonal in form so as to receive a wrench to allow the centering device to be readily secured in place or removed, and as the tongues 10 are formed as an integral part of the cylindrical hood 9, they are curved transversely, so that at any point of contact with the bottle neck, they will present a curved surface conforming to a certain extent to the curvature of the end of the bottle neck, and will direct the end of the bottle neck into proper centering relationship to the syrup tube regardless of the angle of the bottle or the imperfection in its shape. In other words, if the end of the bottle neck enters any part of the flared lower end of the hood, it will be moved into proper centering relationship .with the syrup tube, and there will be no danger of injury to the bottle.

The centering device is adapted for use on various forms of bottle filling apparatus, and can be readily attached and detached by any one of average intelligence. The flared or conical formation at the end of the device formed by splitting the cylindrical housing and then bending the tongues thus formed, permits a view of the bottle through the open spaces between the tongues and furthermore gives to the tongues a certain amount of elasticity which prevents a severe or sudden blow to the end of the bottle neck.

While I have set forth my improvements in connection with a syrup tube, it is to be understood that my improved centering device might be soldered onto any ordinary 5 syrup tube in use, and various slight changes might be made, in the general form and arrangement of parts described Without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by-Letters Patent is:

A'bottle centering device of the character described,-comprising a head fixed around the tube, a cylindrical housing fixed to the head and positioned around the tube, said housing provided at one end with a series of tongues, each tongue bent outwardly, and

a ring of appreciably greater diameter than the diameter of the cylindrical portion of the housing, and said tongues at their free ends bent around said ring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDGAR A. SHONTZ. Witnesses JOHN Soorr, PAUL FINIGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, .D. G. 

